Mortality rates among children and teenagers living in Inuit Nunangat, 1994 to 2008

Publication

Publication

Health Reports
,
Volume 23
-
Issue 3
p. 1-
6

Background: Because Vital Statistics data do not include information on Inuit identity in all jurisdictions, mortality rates cannot be calculated specifi cally for Inuit. However, Inuit in Canada are geographically concentrated-78% live in Inuit Nunangat, and 82% of the areas total population identify as Inuit. While there are limitations, geographic approaches can be employed to calculate mortality for the population of that area. Data and methods: The Vital Statistics Database (1994 to 2008) and population estimates were used to calculate agestandardized mortality rates (ASMRs) in fi ve-year intervals around the 1996 and 2006 Census years. Mortality rates were calculated for 1- to 19-yearolds living in Inuit Nunangat and those living elsewhere in Canada. Results: The ASMR in 2004-2008 for 1- to 19-year-olds in Inuit Nunangat was 188.0 deaths per 100,000 person-years at risk, five times the rate (35.3) elsewhere in Canada. The disparity had not narrowed over the previous decade. In Inuit Nunangat, injuries were responsible for 64% of deaths of children and teenagers, compared with 36% in the rest of Canada. Interpretation: The persistently high mortality rates for children and teenagers living in Inuit Nunangat, compared with the rest of Canada, are important in understanding the health and socio-economic situation of residents of this region.